


And then, there were the jellyfish

by Ironwingedhawk



Category: Iron Fist (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Birthday Present for an Amazing Human Being Who Deserves the World, Fluff, M/M, Merpeople
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 05:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14157309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ironwingedhawk/pseuds/Ironwingedhawk
Summary: Ward Meachum meets a person, who may change his world.





	And then, there were the jellyfish

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Thewonderginger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thewonderginger/gifts).



Ward made a few moves to swim over towards the little market place.The kingdom of Atlantis had a lot of these but this was his favorite. It was far away from the houses of the royals and rich. Here was a place for the simple people. Those, whose scales didn’t shine colorful and bright in the depths of the ocean.

That had the effect, that Ward and his brightly colored pink tail was raising a lot of attention from the people. And Ward didn’t like drawing attention at all.

His father didn’t like him going here but he had never really cared.

He took interest in the things people here sold. It varied more from the goods the market in his neighborhood had to offer. The shells weren’t as flawless and shiny, as they were back home but they weren’t just shells either. They were turned into beautiful necklaces and bracelets.

The seaweed and fish wasn’t as rare as at home but way tastier.

Ward also liked the music and the business of the place. People here seemed to be in a hurry always and it just felt so… alive.

Ward turned around to swim to a stand, that sold dnails, when he collided with another man, he seemed to work at the market and dropped a basket with see grass, that slowly levitated towards the ground.

Ward catched it, before it could hit the floor for good, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, thank you.”, the other man smiled and Ward had the first real chance to look at him. He was beautiful. Not like the people at home in the palace with the all the colors, glitter, and makeup. He had dark skin and hair, that curled on top of his head. His tail was covered in light blue scales. The color wasn’t shining but it was beautiful. It reminded Ward of the ocean ground, when it was disturbed by a current.

And his smile. It was just perfect.

“I…”, Ward stuttered, “I swam into you. Nothing to thank for.”

“You aren’t from here.”, he eyed Ward and his scales curiously, was he admiring the color? The people here had probably rarely seen those.

“No, I am not.”

“Why are you here then?”

Ward blinked a few times. The man was straight forward. At home in the mansion and palaces, people were never this blunt. They talked a lot to say one thing and it was tiring.

“I… I like your market.”

The guy chuckled, “I don’t see, how anyone can really like this over the bazar up in the venus shell district.”

“I am from the dolphin district.”, Ward said quietly. Not sure, why he had said this at all.

“Really? Wow. This makes my question even more valid though.”

“I just like it?”

“You are weird.”, the guy chuckled, “But I like you. My name is Malcolm.”

“Ward.”

“What is it like, the dolphin district, I mean. I’ve never been there but I have heard stories that sound like fantasy to me.”

Ward shrugged, “Clean, fancy. You can always just go, you know?”

“I don’t know. I don’t belong there, people would stare at me and all. I don’t like that and I wouldn’t be able to afford anything there anyway.”

“You could come with me. I live there and you wouldn’t draw to much attention. My name is Ward, by the way.”

“Malcolm. You really would take me there?”, Malcolm’s eyes were glowing with joy.

“Yes.”

* * *

 

It was adorable, how Malcolm cherished being here. All the colors and the glamour, that was tiring to Ward was so new to him. They strolled the stands side by side and looked at the goods.

“You really live here?”

“In the palace.”

“You are the prince?”

Ward shrugged, as Malcolm blushed and quickly bowed.

“Don’t. Please.”, Ward put a hand on his shoulder, “I don’t want this.”

Malcolm nodded, “Can you- I know this sounds, like I am, I don’t know, abusing you? But can you show me around the palace? When I was a kid, me and my friends would always fantasize about it.”

“Of course.”

Malcolm beamed at him, “That is so cool!”

* * *

 

Ward led Malcolm down the marble halls and towards his quarter. He was happy, that he didn’t run into his father on the way. He would be mad at him for bringing a peasant here. Actually, Harold didn’t even need a reason to be mad at him.

Inside of his room, Ward quickly closed the door and watched, as malcolm looked around.

“I have never seen shells like this!”, he said, admiring some of the artwork.

“Or this!”, he looked at a gift from Ward’s brother.

“This isn’t a shell.”, Ward chuckled, “My brother takes trips to the surface world sometimes, he is a halfling. My Dad hates it, and punishes him, but he does it anyway.He likes to bring gifts to my sister and me.”

“Oh.”, Malcolm nodded, “I see. The surface world always interested me.”

“I know. Me too, but I am also scared of the danger. My brother, he can be a little reckless.”

Malcolm nodded, sitting down on Ward’s bed, holding the strange human- thing in his hands, “It is beautiful though.”

“Yes.”, Ward swam over to him, sitting down.

Outside of the window, the sun was setting on the surface. Drowning the sea in a beautiful darkness for the night. A seahorse swam through the window and Malcolm extended a hand to touch it. The animal hesitated but came to meet his fingers with its nose. Ward watched in amazement, as the seahorse swam around the both of them, before it left through the window again.

“Beautiful creatures.”, Malcolm whispered.

Ward nodded, he actually should tell the other man to leave but everything was so beautiful right now. So perfect. he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Outside of the window, the creatures of the night had come from their hideaways. Illuminating the dark with their own unique light colors.

“We don’t have these down in our district.”, Malcolm whispered, swimming to the window to watch the glowing jellyfish and eels. Ward followed him, he had gotten so used to this, that he had forgotten, how to appreciate the beauty. Once upon a time, he had known how. He had looked at them and learned to see their grace. Now, it was just normal. At least until today. malcolm had taught him, how to see the pretty things again. Maybe, he would forget it one day and fall back to the habit of only being amazed by gifts from the surface world, but then, he hoped, Malcolm would still be there to show him.

And maybe, just maybe, he could show Malcolm the beauty of his simple world. Maybe, he could start right now?

Ward used all his courage to lean over and kiss him.

Malcolm smiled against Ward’s lips, putting his hands on his cheeks, as they kissed on the balcony in front of a thousand glowing jellyfish.

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDACE. OR HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IN TIME <3  
> YOU ARE AMAZING AND I'M GONNA STOP SCREAMING NOW.  
> Seriously, I'm glad, you are my friend, I don't deserve this and I hope, you have/had a wonderful day.


End file.
